Blasty the Drone, To Protect & Swerve

The rise of killer drones abroad continues, as does the rise of fireworks-photographing, beer-delivering drones at home. With a huge variety of uses and a very politicized, lethal start, these robots in the sky promise to be one of the most difficult-to-regulate gadgets in the United States.

If you deliver a beer via drone to a friend, just for fun, that’s legal. If someone pays you to deliver a beer via drone, that’s illegal and dangerous. Lethal drones carrying missiles that can vaporize a human? Legal. (Although strictly for government use, at least until the NRA expands the Second Amendment further.)

A recent report warned of perpetual warfare thanks to drones. This was released at the same time drones are being put to a wide variety of uses here at home– it seemed like the time for Blasty the Drone to revel in his newfound versatility. While burrito-delivering drones are banned, the Obama administration finally released a shaky, heavily-redacted legal justification for killing an American citizen(s) with a drone.

Seems like Blasty the Drone has a long and successful career ahead of him in the public and private sector. Personally, I wish we could recommission our lethal drones to focus on surveillance like this. Enjoy the cartoon, and keep your eye on the skies! (More links to the news behind the cartoon here.)